Hypnopolygraphic alterations in attention deficit disorder (ADD) children

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Abstract
The sleep pattern of 13 prepubertal children, nonmedicated, rigourously diagnosed as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) was recorded for two consecutive nights. Analyses of sleep pattern variables revealed a marked reduction of sleep onset latency (p <. 01), a great number of nocturnal awakenings (p <. 01), and a high increase of Delta sleep percentage (p <. 01) for the ADD children compared to normals. In addition, the two subtypes of the disorder—ADD with hyperactivity (ADD/H) and ADD without hyperactivity (ADD/WO) or ADD undifferentiated—showed distinct hypnopolygraphic correlates. Those ADD/H children had a greater sleep fragmentation and a lesser degree of sleep efficiency. These findings would support the hypothesis that ADD is related to a deficient control of arousal level and, on the other hand, suggest that ADD/H and ADD/WO are different clinical entities.